No sooner had Caelum finished his sentence...BOOOOOOOOOOM!!The entire underground tunnel structure shook violently. Thick dust, chunks of wall, and stone shards rained down from the ceiling, threatening to collapse the evacuation route.However, it was not the physical tremors that froze Gerry, Magnus, Edgar, and Caelum in their tracks, but an immense, crushing pressure descending directly from the sky above.This pressure was no ordinary cultivation aura. It was not the spiritual energy wave Gerry had felt from Alex Sterling. It originated from something far older, purer, and more oppressive than the Guardian of the Forbidden Abyss.The Obsidian Fang in Gerry’s hand vibrated intensely, emitting a black glow that pulsed in response to the heavy silence in the air. At the same moment, every heirloom dagger stored in the secret chamber began to hum in unison.The Vesper module in Gerry’s left eye erupted with a rapid sequence of flashing red notifications:[CRITICAL SYSTEM ERROR!][EN

The rhythmic clanking of the Black Raven unit’s iron armor echoed louder against the stone walls. Red magical torches flared around the corridor's bend, closing the distance mercilessly.[SYSTEM ALERT!][ESTIMATED TIME TO ENEMY CONFRONTATION: 90 SECONDS.]Gerry did not budge. He turned his back to the corridor entrance, ignoring Vesper’s combat cues. His weapon remained sheathed. His eyes stared at Caelum with pure, soulsearing rage."Before they set foot in this room..." Gerry spoke in a low tone, trembling with suppressed fury, "...answer my question."The entire corridor froze. Magnus stepped forward, trying to soothe Gerry’s anger.Gerry lunged forward, closing the distance until he was a mere meter from Caelum."Who is my real father?!" Gerry demanded pointblank.Caelum remained silent, standing with his arms crossed beneath his cloak. Magnus lowered his head, his lips pressed tightly together.The cold silence pushed Gerry’s rage to its breaking point.Gerry drew the Obsidian Fa

Consumed by rage, Alex ignored Caelum’s words. He lunged directly at Gerry, swinging his golden sword.The tip of Alex’s blade stopped just centimeters from Gerry’s neck. However... a single palm suddenly flashed into the path of the lethal strike.There was no blinding explosion of energy, nor the deafening sound of clashing metal. Caelum’s open palm simply caught the Sterling Clan Head’s sword, holding it as if the legendary weapon were nothing more than a dry twig.The underground corridor was instantly paralyzed by a suffocating silence. Dandy, standing not far from his father, stared at Caelum in shock; no one had ever been able to stop his father’s blade, yet this cold man before them had halted it with an open hand.Kael stepped back. He had been playing it safe from the start, seeking a secure position because he knew the strength of those before them.Alex’s eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. "...you," Alex whispered, his voice trembling violently.Caelum stood

CRAAAAAK!!The devastating collision between Caelum and Alex Sterling shook the underground tunnel once more. Massive cracks raced in every direction, bringing down the primary support pillars. Huge chunks of stone plummeted from the ceiling, kicking up a thick dust that obscured all visibility."Gerry! Get out of here! If this tunnel collapses completely, we’ll all be buried alive!" Magnus roared hysterically amidst the rumbling debris.However, Gerry didn't take a single step back. His burning gaze remained locked on Alex Sterling, the man who had shattered his childhood, sealed his meridians and murdered his parents.Today, Gerry had no intention of letting Alex walk away without paying a blood price equal to his sins.Magnus lunged forward again, attempting to grab Gerry’s shoulder to force him to retreat.SRAK!Gerry flicked his hand, roughly swatting Magnus’s grip away."Enough, Magnus!" Gerry snapped, his breathing labored and his voice raspy from the bleeding in his chest. "I’

The darkness at the end of the underground passage thickened. The air suddenly froze, coating the stone walls, untouched by sunlight for centuries, in a layer of frost. Gerry felt an overwhelmingly heavy pressure descend upon his shoulders. His body, not yet fully recovered from the forced surgery in the world above, creaked loudly, sending sharp signals of pain through his meridian network.[Warning: Enemy energy detected exceeds current physical capacity by four hundred percent,] the mechanical voice of the Vesper system rang sharply in Gerry’s head, attempting to warn him of his body’s tolerance limits.Gerry gritted his teeth until his gums bled, tasting the warm liquid at the corner of his mouth. The pain was no longer just physical torment; it was fuel for his burning resolve. He stared straight ahead, piercing the dense mist that shrouded the massive figure before him. Beneath armor gilded and tarnished by time, a pair of eyes glowed with a greenishblue fire, peering back with